Rep. Virginia Foxx, (R-NC) in 2008. Getty Images

Virginia Foxx. She's a Republican representative from North Carolina.

This week on Capitol Hill, she used her time before her House colleagues to say that the GOP version of the debated national health care plan "is pro-life, because it will not put seniors in a position of being put to death by their government."

You think that caused a stir? Oh, yes. Is it crazy talk? Well...

Believe it or not, the notion that Democratic plans for health care reform would result in elderly Americans being "put to death" is gaining credence in certain back-alleys of the blogosphere.

It's a calculated distortion of Section 1233 of House Resolution 3200. That's the official name of the Health Care Reform Act.

Want to read it for yourself? Scroll down a little bit.

Section 1233 proposes a new benefit for seniors: coverage for medical counseling concerning end-of-life planning.

If writing a living will, you could seek the advice of a healthcare professional and have that visit covered once every five years.

If you wanted.

And that's it. That's all.

We suggest you read it yourself and tell us what you think.

Click here for the ENTIRE TEXT of HR3200: "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009"

Click on TEXT OF LEGISLATION, and follow the links to Section 1233.

By the way, it has the backing of the AARP and the Consumers Union among others.

See that headline? Some analysts say both would NOT survive in the same space, because a tax-subsidized, government-run "public option" would drive out private insurance companies on economics alone.

Maybe there's a third option, another direction for our promised healthcare system overhaul: the co-op. Heard of it?

T.J. Holmes sat in for Rick Sanchez Tuesday, and talked to Michigan Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow. She says whatever health care plan is enacted, it's not only got to be soon, but "it's got to be right."

Click here for CNN.COM's excellent explainer on the healthcare debate.

Rick Sanchez is on vacation, dear blog readers. Back on THURSDAY! In the meantime, enjoy the mellow sounds of T.J. Holmes, filling in from 3-4 PM.

And to sate your desire for anything Sanchezian, here's an often-requested picture of Rick's socks, extremely dirty shoes, and deep-sleeping producer Chris Hall. Enjoy.

Oh, Rick...where are you?

Sanchez in the big city!!

Want to see the newsroom at CNN New York? Rick filled in for Campbell Brown Friday night, and gives us a little walk-through.

No snippets, no soundbites here. This is an entire, unedited interview.

Tom Coburn is a U.S. Senator. He's a Republican. He's also a physician! Who better to talk to about overhauling health care in this country, and President Obama's insistence on reform sooner than later?

Sen. Coburn also has some ideas for getting rid of some "stupid rules" he sees in the current American health care system.

Oh, and what about those loud people who continue to insist that Barack Obama cannot legally be the president...because they dispute the legitimacy of his Hawaii birth certificate?

They call themselves the "Birther" movement. Rick and the senator talk about THEM, too.

Watch their conversation. Leave a comment! Discuss!

PFC Bowe Bergdahl shown in a Taliban-released video

I've seen and heard a lot in this business, but this one may take the proverbial cake, and it was said on national television.

Here's the set up: U.S. Army PFC Bowe Bergdahl is being held by the Taliban, and they're threatening to kill him.

He's an American, and there are questions about how he got captured, which I raised on CNN with my own analyst.

But look at what a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel said on the air on another network.

"If (Bergdahl) walked away from his post and his buddies at wartime...I don't care how hard it sounds, as far as I'm concerned, the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills."

The whole interview is on the web on several of those clip-sharing sites. I've watched it a dozen times, and I still can't believe it.

A former U.S. military officer, Ralph Peters, saying that he would be OK with the Taliban executing PFC Bowe Bergdahl if he is, in fact, a deserter.

Is the military saying he's a deserter? No! Ralph Peters suggests he is.

PFC Bowe Bergdahl has a family and an entire town praying to God for his safety and release from the enemy.

I don't know what it's like to be in combat as a soldier. I don't know what it's like to be captured and held at gunpoint and threatened with death.

Maybe Ralph Peters does. After all, he seems willing to talk about it on national television.

Peters was an Army intelligence officer. As far as we can tell, he's never been captured by the enemy, pehaps hasn't even been in combat.

I'd like to ask him, but he won't return our calls.

Tell me what you think about this. Please.

Michael Vick in August 2007. Getty Images

For animal abuser Michael Vick, today really is the first day of the rest of his life: he's officially off house arrest.

Yes, as you've told me, he's proven to be selfish, egotistical and stupid, and you've even used a word I hate because more often than not, it has a racist connotation, the word "thuggish".

All that said, this guy used to have it all. Superstar, multimillionaire, and a talent so unique he really had no equal.

Then this phenomenal athlete, accused of doing one stupid thing after the other, finally is convicted of the stupidest act of all.

It was so brutal and so malicious.

I know, many of you say, "Yeah, but how about other NFL stars accused of crimes?"

Generally speaking, here's the difference:

What Vick did was willful.

It wasn't a drug problem, it wasn't a bar fight, or a car accident. (Key word there: "accident") It was willful!

In other words, he had to know when he heard the screams of dogs being beaten or electrocuted to death that what he was doing was awful, but he continued doing it.

But here's what else we know. He was busted for that, and he paid dearly. He lost his livelihood, his fortune and his freedom.

Still, you overhwelmingly told me on Twitter today that you're rooting for Vick to play again, even over media darling Brett Favre.

USA Today asked the same question. Vick's around 25%. Favre 18%. The rest voted both or neither.

In America, you seem to be saying to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell that people who pay their debt deserve another chance.

You know what? I tend to agree.

What do you think?

Honduras remains without rock-solid leadership since a coup in June forced out the elected president, Manuel Zebaya.

Read about it here.

So why should we in the U.S. be so concerned about political upheaval in Central America? Well, have you ever heard of Cuba? There are several parallels to draw between what's happening in Honduras today, and the events that shaped Cuba as we know it today.

Watch this clip. Rick Sanchez talks to the man who formulated America's current policy in Central and South America.

Then tell us whether we should care what happens in Honduras.